Do you find the need to repeat yourself more often
than not to the person you are caring for? Does your talking level closely
resemble your yelling level just so your care recipient can hear you? Are
you speaking so slowly that you end up losing your train of thought? It is
possible that the person you are caring for is one of the 28 million
Americans suffering from hearing loss.

Unlike incontinence, hearing loss is a natural sign of aging due to a
change in the structure of the ear. After age 65, one out of three
Americans at least partially loses their hearing. However, it is not only
a result of the aging process. There are other causes of hearing loss that
include:

Build-up of earwax

Chronic middle or inner ear infections

Medical conditions like diabetes or a brain tumor

High blood pressure

Exposure to excessive noise like heavy machinery

A blood clot in the nerves of the ear

High blood pressure

Tinnitus- (a common syndrome indicated by a
ringing sensation in the ear)

Meniere’s Disease- (excess fluid in canals of
the inner ear)

Before deciding upon the kind of treatment the person
you are caring for should receive; their doctor should determine the cause
of their hearing loss. But, as a caregiver, you can provide some helpful
hearing care hints to your care recipient to help them communicate more
easily.

Look at people when they are talking to you

Begin relying on your sense of sight by
installing a flashing bulb on doorbells, telephones and fire alarms.

Limit background noise during conversations

Sit in the front row during church, school or in
an auditorium

Look into buying an assisted hearing dog that
responds to certain noises

Check out hearing aids. You can buy one on a 30-
day trial period

Ask about assisted hearing devices before you buy
a television

Helping your care recipient to hear better will not
only benefit them, it will benefit you greatly.